MANZINI SCHOOLS CELEBRATE
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD
About one hundred school children
marched in the streets of Manzini today in commemoration of the international
day of the girl child. The children who are aged between seven and 15 years
carried different messages demonstrating the plight of young girls in
#Swaziland. Notably were messages condemning sexual abuse on young girls. The
event which is hosted by the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on
HIV/AIDS in Africa (AMICAAL) comes amid reports of a granny who concealed the
rape of a nine year old girl. This incident is just a tip of an iceberg in the
many social ills that are faced by young girls in Swaziland. In the past few
weeks there have been reports of traditional authorities who impose customary
laws that restrict the freedom of women. At one instance a chief in the
Shiselweni region was reported to have banned women from wearing pants in the
community. Young girls who were found in breach of the chief’s law were fined
E50.
Swaziland is party to several
regional and international instruments that guarantee the protection and
promotion of the rights of women. The continued violation of women and girls
rights demonstrates the unwillingness of the state to comply with its national
and international obligations. This is evident in the longstanding Deeds
Registry Act which has still not been amended following a court decision in
2010. Disregard for the rule of law has become a norm in the tiny kingdom.
Recently cabinet ministers refused to vacate office following a vote of no
confidence which was passed against them by parliament. This resulted to the
decision being reversed by a few parliamentarians in breach of the constitutional
provisions.
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